MSP Katy Clark slams ambulance waiting times for Ayrshire

She said the longest recorded wait time highlighted the 'severe strain on Ayrshire’s ambulance services'.

Ms Clark says that the data portrays "a devastating picture of a system in crisis, with patients’ lives at risk as they endure hours - sometimes days - waiting for critical medical help".

Ambulance response times in Ayrshire and Arran have worsened dramatically in recent years, with less urgent cases experiencing delays.

For yellow calls - urgent but not life-threatening - the average response time in 2024 was 94 minutes, up from 71 minutes in 2021.

The situation is also deteriorating for amber and red category calls.

Amber calls (urgent, time-sensitive cases) averaged 27.51 minutes in 2024, compared to 26.42 minutes in 2021, with the average peaking at 32.57 minutes in 2022.

Red calls (immediately life-threatening) averaged 11.57 minutes in 2024, a slight improvement from 13.47 minutes in 2022, but still far from the eight minute target.

Even the most critical purple calls, which require the fastest response, averaged nearly 10 minutes in 2024 - well above the expected target.

'RISK to life': MSP Katy Clark has slammed ambulance waiting times. (Image: Newsquest)

Katy Clark, Scottish Labour MSP for the West of Scotland Region has demanded urgent action.

She said: "Waiting 32 hours for an ambulance isn’t just unacceptable - it’s dangerous. People in dire need of medical help are being left without assistance for over a day. It’s a terrifying reality for too many families in Ayrshire.

"The fact that patients are waiting an average of 94 minutes for urgent care is proof that the system is broken.

"Year after year, response times are getting worse, and it’s costing lives. Our NHS is on its knees, and our heroic ambulance staff are being pushed to breaking point."

Ms Clark stressed that this is not an isolated incident. The FOI data reveals multiple cases of extreme delays across recent years. 

Despite government targets for ambulances to reach life-threatening emergencies within 8 minutes, this data underscores the growing gap between targets and reality. While the pandemic increased pressure on the system, healthcare professionals warn that these delays stem from years of underfunding and mismanagement.

Ms Clark continued: "This is not just a failure of emergency services - it’s a systemic failure. We’ve been warning for years that the NHS needed more support. The Scottish Government’s neglect has led to patients waiting hours - even days - for emergency care. Lives are at risk.

"Enough is enough. The Scottish Government must act now to ensure no one in Scotland is left waiting in pain, uncertainty, or danger for 32 hours. It’s time for leadership and it’s time for action."

Cunninghame North MSP Kenneth Gibson said: "

“The Scottish Ambulance Service continues to deliver a fast response to people who are critically unwell.

“Despite year on year increases in priority calls and the unique challenges posed by the unique geography of Scotland’s rural and island communities, our dedicated ambulance crews responded in August - the most recent month for which there are figures in a remarkable six minutes and 52 seconds.

“Across Scotland 120 additional ambulance paramedics have been recruited and deployed.

“Whilst there will always be times when the service is under strain,  I doubt many will recognise the caricature of a service Baroness Clark describes, worrying the public unnecessarily. As usual, she provides no practical solutions to an issue that apparently concerns her.”

“Saving lives of people most in need remains the key focus of the Scottish Ambulance Service, which is currently implementing new ‘handover principles’ to ensure the safe and timeous handover of patients at hospital, freeing up more ambulances quicker.”